


Talking Is Key

by ununquadius



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco Malfoy POV, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, Post-Hogwarts, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:06:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27330169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ununquadius/pseuds/ununquadius
Summary: Draco feels insecure in his relationship with Harry, so he asks Lucius for advice.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Comments: 12
Kudos: 161





	Talking Is Key

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much ladyedwina for the beta! You're the best!
> 
> Hope you like it!

Draco opened the door of his father’s studio but didn’t dare to take a tiny step inside until Lucius looked at him, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“You usually storm inside and throw yourself on the couch while prattling nonstop,” his father smirked. “Are you alright?”

“I want to ask you something, but I don’t know if…” Draco bit his bottom lip and didn’t move. He had gone straight to his father as soon as he decided that he needed advice, but now that he was there, he didn’t know how to ask. 

Lucius got up from his chair behind his impressive desk and sat on the armchair in front of the fireplace, his usual spot when Draco came to talk to him. Draco sighed and sat on the couch.

“Well? What is it?” his father asked, waving his wand to fill two glasses with firewhisky and handing one to Draco.

“Are you… Are you scared sometimes that Mother secretly hates you? Because of the war and all that?” he whispered, looking at the liquid in his glass.

“She was angry at me after what happened at the Ministry because of what that meant to you, and she let me know as soon as I was out of Azkaban.” He took a sip of his firewhisky, and Draco looked at him, eager. “After the war, she was still angry. And I was, too, of course. I haven’t forgiven myself for all that happened to you then. But she doesn’t hate me.”

“How do you know that? How do you know she doesn’t fake it?” Draco decided to ignore the first part of his father’s discourse, although it had touched him. It wasn’t usual for Lucius to admit he felt guilty about something.

“I asked her. And she’d have told me the truth.” Lucius looked at him, and Draco felt like his father’s eyes were trying to read his mind, although he knew he wasn’t good enough at Legeremancy for that. “Are we talking about Narcissa and me or about someone else?”

“About Harry,” Draco admitted.

As always Harry’s name was mentioned, Lucius let out a long sigh. He had taken the news of Draco and Harry dating better than Draco had expected, but he still had some opinions about it.

“Why do you think he hates you? I can’t stand Potter, but I don’t think he’s the kind of person who deceives someone in the way you’re implying here.” 

“I don’t know. It just feels… weird that he wants to be with me after all the things I’ve done.” Draco took a sip of his glass and made a grimace. He didn’t like alcohol. He left the glass on the side table. 

“Ask him; talk to him. That’s what Narcissa and I do and it has worked so far,” Lucius said and finished his liquor, leaving his empty glass next to Draco’s. 

Draco nodded. He was a lot like his father, in looks and personality, so he hoped this was another thing they had in common, and that talking was all he needed to put his insecurities away.

* * *

They were lying on the grass of the gardens of Malfoy Manor, hidden from the house, so it felt like it was just the two of them, lost in a secret forest. 

“Look!” Harry whispered excitedly. “A squirrel!”

“They’re like rats,” Draco said, side eying Harry to see the annoyed expression he was sure would appear on his face. He smirked when Harry frowned.

“They’re cute! Rats, he says!” Draco saw it as soon as the thought formed in Harry’s mind, because his eyes shone with mischief. And sure enough, a second after Harry jumped over Draco, sitting on his belly, and began to tickle him mercilessly. “Take back your words!” Draco laughed and squirmed, trying to free himself, although he couldn’t move under Harry’s weight. “Say they’re cute!”

“They’re rats!” he half-screamed, interrupted by a burst of laughter. “Just fancy rats!” 

Harry kept tickling him in every part of Draco’s body he could reach. 

“Fine!” Draco finally half shouted. “Fine! You win! They’re cute and pretty!”

“And don’t you forget that!” Harry said, still perched on Draco’s stomach. He smiled and bent down to peck Draco’s nose. 

“Idiot,” Draco smiled.

Harry shrugged, and went back to sitting on the grass. Draco thought that that was a moment as good as any to ask what had been on his mind for the last weeks. After all, it was in moments like that one when he wondered over and over what the hell was Harry doing with someone like him when Harry could have anyone else. 

Draco sat up too, and readied himself to ask the question. 

“Harry…” His heart was beating wildly. 

“Yes?” Harry’s smile faltered at seeing his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I… This is stupid. Forget it.” He turned his face, and looked intently at a tree to avoid Harry’s gaze. 

“Draco. What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” Harry’s voice was full of concern, and Draco, once more, couldn’t understand why.

“No, you didn’t. It’s just that…” He forced himself to look at Harry again. “Don’t you hate me?”

“What?” Harry looked really confused now. Draco would have laughed if he wasn’t so worried. “Why would I be with you if I hated you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you feel forced to be with me or you’re too kind to break up with me… Don’t you feel disgusted by all the things I’ve done and…?”

“What the fuck, Draco! Of course not!” Harry was frowning again. “You know I’m capable of telling you if I hate you. But I’m with you because I like you, because you’re fun, and nice, and snarky, and pretty, and a lot of other things. You were a prat before. I think we all can agree on that, and you did awful things, and so did I. But that’s the past.”

Draco smiled a bit. It felt nice hearing all the things Harry thought of him, even if it was a bit difficult to believe. 

“You think we all can agree I was a prat?” he said to lighten the mood a bit. 

“Yes!” Harry gave him a one-arm hug, and kissed him on one cheek. Draco made himself comfortable on his boyfriend's chest, and sighed happily. “You’re wonderful. Don’t let your brain tell you otherwise.”

“Thanks. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that you like me.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to believe that _you_ like _me_ too,” Harry whispered against his ear.

“We’re both a bit fucked up, aren’t we?” Draco smiled. 

“Yup, luckily we have each other to remind us of that.”

They stayed quiet after that, just enjoying each other’s company and the sounds of the forest. Draco took a deep breath, feeling lighter than he had felt lately, and thought that his father was right after all: they could always talk about the things that worried them to scare their worries away. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
